Wolves of the Dark River: Halloween
by ThePopcornFairy
Summary: The first in the WotDR series. When young Hailey McLean becomes a werewolf on Halloween weekend, she, her best friend and brother find themselves pulled into a supernatural battle beyond human comprehension.
1. The Past Becomes the Future

**Wolves of the Dark River: Halloween**

**Chapter 1: The Past Becomes the Future**

In the dark, foggy forest, illuminated by the bright full moon, a blonde girl in a pink jacket was running- or sprinting and this rate- and panting like crazy. Every once in a while she forced herself to look back, only to turn forward again and attempt to pick up her pace. When she was sure she was alone, she slid behind a tree and stopped, leaning against the trunk and gasping for air. She quickly silenced herself, knowing it could still be nearby. Sweat ran down her face. Her legs struggled to stay standing up. She desperately hoped that "they can smell fear" was a myth.

Not far off, twigs snapped and leaves rustled beneath the weight of massive paws. The predator had slowed to a stalk, its deep breathing transitioning into deep-throated growls. The girl thought of running again, but she found herself frozen from both fear and exhaustion. She saw a dark figure pushing its way through the foliage. It seemed to be both curious and dangerous, judging from its behavior. Then it emerged: a large brown wolf with glowing yellow eyes. Its lips were curled back as it growled, revealing sharp, glittering teeth and saliva dripping from its mouth.

Questions were running through the girl's mind. Why was this wolf going after her? Why did it seem so fascinated by her? Would it kill her or simply maul her for no apparent reason? Most of all… why were her legs refusing to _move?_ All she could do was stand there and cower as she awaited the attack.

The wolf crouched down on its hind legs and jumped at her with a roar. She instinctively threw her arms up and screamed.

Just when she felt the pain in her hand, a light penetrated her vision and she shot up like a bullet. She was back in her room, twisted in her bed sheets, eyes wide, hair tangled, face wet with sweat, and lungs quickly panting. It had all been a dream.

Or… perhaps it was more of a memory. This girl was named Hailey McLean, and that dream was a reality almost a month ago. Indeed, she was attacked by a wolf, and the incident haunted her for a while until she stopped having the dream all together. Last night was the first night she had it in weeks. Why it was coming back to her she wasn't sure of.

Lying back down as her eyes adjusted to the light, Hailey looked down at her bandaged-up hand. Though the attack was long gone, she still wore the bandages, claiming that the bite still hurt. The pain, however, felt worse this morning, as if the nerves in the back of her hand were constantly being shocked. That plus the dream was making Hailey feel tense, but she tried to convince herself it was just the month's mood.

She looked at the calendar on her wall. It was Saturday, October 30th.

* * *

After trying for a half hour to fall back asleep, Hailey made her way downstairs. Both of her parents were away for the weekend and her older brother, Luke, was still in bed. It was just her for now, which made no difference. Even when Luke woke up, they had nothing to do. There was nothing on TV that they hadn't seen five times already; it was mostly reruns of Halloween specials.

They settled for watching the specials at about two o'clock when Luke asked, "What are you doing tomorrow?"

For a moment, Hailey just started at him, confused. Then it dawned on her. "Oh yeah, Halloween… Um… I don't really know. I'm a little too old for trick-or-treating now, and no one around here is throwing a party, so I have nothing planned."

"Hmm…" Luke slipped lower into his chair, and smiled smugly. "I'm considering going hunting."

"Hunting?" Hailey glared at him. "You know how I feel about hunting, especially now!"

"Yeah, I know you don't like killing animals and all, but what do you mean by 'especially now'?"

She groaned. "It's Halloween. There are little kids outside at night. I don't want the innocent hurt."

Luke appeared insulted. "I know the difference between a man and a beast. Relax."

Relaxing didn't come easy for Hailey. All day, she had a strange, antsy feeling that she couldn't shake off. The bite on her hand irritated her, but Luke just said she was being paranoid. Maybe she was. Either way, something told Hailey that a trial awaited her in the near future.

* * *

By sunset, Hailey was in her room doing homework. It was a good distraction from her unsettling nerves, but her hand felt worse now. _Just focus on chemistry…_ she thought to herself. _There's nothing wrong with you._

Her thoughts were interrupted when the phone rang. The caller ID listed the Steeles. Hailey picked up, expecting her best friend, Quinn Callahan, who was the stepdaughter of Mr. Steele. "Yeah?"

Her expectations were met by a call of, "_Hey, girl!_" Quinn's voice had such a spice to it that unless you met her in person, you'd think she was black.

Hailey smiled. "Hey, Quinn. What's up?"

"_Just watching reruns of Halloween specials. You?_"

Smile falling, Hailey moaned, "Nothing. I've got nothing going on."

"_Well did you hear? They're not holding a bonfire downtown this year._"

"What?" Hailey was stunned. Every year a bonfire was held downtown following trick-or-treat. It was supported and provided by the volunteer fire department. With her dad being on the team, Hailey was aware that funding has been low lately, but nonetheless she whined, "How can you not have a bonfire on Halloween?"

"_I know, right? Budget cut problems or something stupid like that._"

Already understanding the issues though not necessarily caring, Hailey changed the subject. "You know what you're doing for Halloween this year?"

"_Heck if I know._" The spice in Quinn's voice was gone. "_This holiday gets tackier every year._"

"Yeah…" A click interrupted Hailey as someone else picked up.

"_What are you girls talking about?_" came Luke's voice, both flirty and taunting.

"Luke," Hailey growled, "get off the phone."

"_Oh no, it's fine,_" Quinn interjected. "_How have you been, Luke?_"

"_Bored,_" Luke responded. "_Hopefully tomorrow will be a little more exciting. You wanna see me hunt?_"

"_You're hunting tomorrow night? Cool._"

"_Heh heh… Hailey doesn't think I should. She said I might-_"

Hailey hung up before she could hear the rest. The way her best friend and older brother flirted with each other was enough to make her blow chunks. Sometimes she wished they would just kiss and move on; them together wasn't going to work out.

It was a little late. Hailey was tired and bored. Deciding she had nothing better to do but fall asleep, she got up and walked towards the door.

Something caught her eye, something that made her turn around and gaze out the window. She scanned the outside world, trying to find what caught her attention. When she looked up at the night sky, her gaze locked on the glowing full moon. It looked so… beautiful, warm and comforting. Its gravity seemed to pull Hailey in, making her wonder why she had never fully acknowledged this marvel of nature.

Wait… admiring the moon? _Seriously? _Was there really something wrong with her?

A deep throb in her chest seemed to answer that question.

Hailey moaned and clutched her chest as her heart seemed to pound against her ribcage. As the pain spread and surged through her muscles, her legs gave out and she collapsed onto her hands and knees. She could actually feel herself changing inside.

"Wha… What's happening?"

She dug her fingers into the carpet, trying to overcome the pain in her body and the ring in her ears. Her grip seemed to tighten against her will, and when she looked down, claws were tearing out from beneath her fingernails.

It couldn't be. Hailey had seen this in horror films, but there was no way it could be happening to her. Finally noticing the increased sting on her hand, she tore the bandages off, revealing dark red gashes where the bite used to be. At the same time, brown fur started pushing its way through the slits and the surrounding pores.

"No…" Hailey stared obliviously at her hand until the pain overcame her again. Her mind was spinning; she tried to comprehend this change in any logical way, but all that came up was the impossible. This couldn't be happening to her.

"No… no…" Her mind tried to fight back as her body twisted and changed, bones cracked out of place, muscles throbbed and grew, fur continued grow until it covered her whole body, a tail tore its way through her pants, her spine painfully snapped into place…

"N-No… no, no…" It was too much. Though her mind tried to deny this phenomenon, deny her body the right to undergo this transformation, something was fighting back. Something told her that this was better for her… that she was stronger and more powerful. She could feel it, but she was too terrified to believe it.

"No… no _no!_" Hailey clenched her hands, rage and horror boiling inside her. She couldn't fight it anymore. She lost her will to move, to feel, to think for herself. As this new beast within took control, Hailey threw her head up and screamed a long, agonized scream.

* * *

Downstairs, Luke was still talking to Quinn over the phone, but he could barely hear over all that shouting coming from Hailey's room. He scowled. "Quinn I'm gonna have to call you back. Hailey's driving me nuts."

"_Alright. I gotta take the trash out anyway. See ya tomorrow._"

Luke hung up and started storming upstairs. When he reached Hailey's room, he slammed the door wide open and shouted, "Hailey, shut…"

He froze solid. He didn't see his sister standing in the bedroom, but a monster with soulless, glowing eyes, growling dangerously at him.

"…up?"

* * *

Quinn opened her front door and dragged the trashcan out to the sidewalk. She stopped and leaned against the can to catch her breath. She really hated doing chores.

"_AAAAAAAAUUGGHHHHHHHHH!_"

She jumped when she heard a scream coming from the McLean house next door. She turned to the right. "What the he-"

Luke smashed through the front door, stumbling a bit before he took off in a sprint, passing Quinn along the way. "Quinn, run!"

For a second or two, Quinn just stared at Luke as he dashed down the sidewalk. Then she looked back at his house, only to find a monster stalking outside. It glared at Quinn, making her knees buckle, before it crouched down on all four legs and ran towards her. She found no other option but to run and scream.

Quickly catching up to Luke, the two of them ran down to the park, their lungs gasping for air and their legs falling weak. They stopped at the bottom of a hill, panting rapidly and holding onto each other for support. "Okay…" Luke managed to say. "I think… we lost it."

"Luke… what the heck _was_ that thing?" Quinn demanded.

"I-I don't know! I found it in Hailey's room after I heard her screaming."

"Hailey's room?" Quinn stood up strait, eyes terror-stricken. "Where is she?"

Luke clutched his chest. "What if it already got her?"

Quinn lowered her head. Just the thought of whatever that was attacking her best friend made her sick. What would she do without Hailey… and how would they explain this to their parents? She was about to say something, but a growl interrupted her. She looked up towards the hilltop. "Luke… we didn't lose it."

The beast was crouching down at the top of the hill, glaring down at the two with its yellow eyes. It jerked its body up and howled to the full moon above it.

Luke cringed. "Let's get outta here!"

"Wait…" Quinn was suddenly intrigued by this creature. She studied its appearance; it looked like a wolf, but with distinct human features, such as its ability to stand on two legs, its head, front leg structure and opposable thumbs. Not only that, but its hair and torn clothes looked strangely familiar. It even observed them with a certain human behavior.

"Quinn, what are you doing?"

"Luke, look at it!" Quinn shouted.

"What?" Luke did as he was told and looked at the beast.

"Blonde hair, pink jacket, thin around the waist…"

"Wait…" he could see where Quinn was going with this. "Are you saying… that's my sister?"

Quinn slowly nodded.

"You mean she's a…?" Before he could finish, the creature they both thought was Hailey sprang at them, quickly coming down on Quinn.

Time slowed down. Quinn's body refused to move. She felt her best friend fall upon her and dig her claws into her chest, felt her heart pound as she came face-to-face with a monster she couldn't fight, felt the world rush from beneath her as they collapsed to the ground…

…and felt sharp teeth clamping onto her shoulder and hot breath coursing down her back.

"_QUINN!_"

Luke jumped back as his sister bit down hard into Quinn's shoulder. When the grip on her shoulder was released, Quinn found herself pinned to the ground by this wolf version of Hailey. Her razor-sharp teeth were dripping with blood, and her glowing eyes were in narrow slits.

Slowly, Hailey moved up, then prepared to come back down for another attack. Quinn screamed. Luke held his breath. Hailey roared.

From out of nowhere, a dark hooded figure sprang forth, knocking Hailey off of Quinn and tackling her. The impact caused Hailey to slam her head down on the hard earth, quickly falling unconscious. Luke rushed over to Quinn and helped her sit up. They stared at the figure that saved them as it turned to face them…

It was another wolf, but this one had dark golden irises within the yellow glow of his eyes. He seemed to keep a calm composure, giving the two a look that said he was glad they were safe. Turning back to the girl he just knocked out, he picked her up and carried her off.

"W-Wait!" Luke called out. "Come back! Where are you taking her?"

The werewolf boy did not respond. He simply carried Hailey off into the dark night.


	2. Mysteries Revealed

**Chapter 2: Mysteries Revealed**

Hailey was slowly coming to, moaning softly from her massive headache. When she opened her eyes, her vision was doubled, irritating her head even more. At the very least, she could tell she was out in the forest, lying on the ground next to a dark river. While her vision corrected itself, she forced herself up, finding no memory of any venture to this location.

Groaning at the pain, Hailey reached up and rubbed her head, which sent a strange feeling to her nerves. Though it eased her headache, it felt like she was rubbing hair against hair and scratching the bruise with her fingernails. She pulled her hand back down, gasping slightly to see that her hands had transformed into furry paws with claws jetting out from her nail beds. Further studying herself, she found long, rounded ears, distorted legs resembling a dog's, and a furry tail.

_So… that was real…_ she thought to herself. _Which means… I really did bite Quinn._

Turning her attention to the river, Hailey scooted closer to the banks and peeked at her reflection, quickly yelping and recoiling when she saw it. Now that she knew what to expect, she looked back into the water, turning her head from side to side so she could fully see this strange wolf version of herself. What frightened her the most was her eyes, completely yellow with a bright glow. Her blue irises had vanished all together.

Hailey's ears drooped and she closed her eyes, tears dripping onto her brown fur. "What's… happened to me…?"

Uttering those few words made Hailey realize just how dry her throat was after all that running, and the fact that she was panting like a dog was embarrassing her even though she was alone.

…Or was she?

Her new werewolf senses were picking up strange scents and sounds. Even her vision had sharpened, and it looked to her like dark figures were moving about in the bushes.

She chose to ignore this for now, as her dry throat was driving her crazy. Reluctantly, Hailey leaned forward and started lapping up the river water. To her surprise, it not only quenched her thirst, but had a pleasing taste to it. She continued to drink as the water refueled her, returning her strength to her.

When she stopped, a rush of power coursed through her, bringing a strange sensation to her nerves and mind. With no idea how to react or what was going on, Hailey screamed and curled up. This new power didn't hurt, but after everything that had happened to her tonight, she desperately hoped she wouldn't become a killing machine.

It slowed to a stop while Hailey stayed lying on her side and shivering. She felt different… powerful and energetic. She could feel a new edge to her personality, like a wild animal instinct. Despite this, she was too scared to embrace this instinct.

"What's going on? Why is this happening to me? Someone please tell me what's going on!" she shouted before breaking out into quiet sobs.

She heard a tiny sound that resembled wings fluttering. "_You have become a child of the Dark River._"

Hailey quickly sat up, searching around for whoever had spoken to her. "Wh-Who's there?" The only thing she found was a raven standing on the ground before her. Ignoring it, she continued to call out, "Who said that?"

_It was I._

The voice didn't seem to come to Hailey from any distinct direction; it seemed to be speaking directly to her mind. She looked back at the raven, who looked at her with its head tilted inquisitively. She might just be going crazy, but compared to everything else, it wouldn't surprise her if it was the raven talking. "Y-You…?"

_Yes, Hailey,_ the voice echoed. The raven stepped closer. _I am Rem, and I am here to help you._

So this talking raven knew who she was and was here to help her? It didn't provide much comfort, but Hailey still manage to weakly ask, "What's happening…?"

"Maybe I should explain that."

Hailey screamed and jumped at the new voice. Flying backwards slightly, the ground slipped from beneath her, sending her down towards the rushing water.

"Whoa…!" Someone suddenly reach down and grabbed Hailey before she hit the water. She opened her eyes and screamed again when she saw a golden-eyed, black-haired werewolf. "You alright?"

Ignoring the question, Hailey buried her face in the arm. "Please… don't hurt me…"

The werewolf pulled Hailey away from the river, setting her down slightly while keeping a gentle grip on her. "I'm not gonna hurt you, I promise. I'm here to help you."

Hailey sniffled lightly and peeked at him and his calm smile. "Y-You're not the first thing to tell me that tonight."

He chuckled. "I figured. My name's Tord. Sorry about that bump, but I had to stop you before you mauled that girl."

Tord's words made Hailey think of Quinn and Luke again. "My best friend and my brother! Are they okay?"

"I don't know what happened to them, to be honest. I'm sure they're safe."

Hailey squirmed out of Tord's grasp and whimpered. "What happened? All I was trying to do was ask for help."

Tord tried to place a paw on her head, but she backed away. "You lost control of yourself and attacked them. They couldn't understand you," he said. "Is this your first night transforming?"

"I… I-I…" How was she supposed to respond to that? She still had no idea what was happening to her. She instead pointed to Tord. "Are… Are you a…?"

"…Werewolf?" Tord finished. "Yeah, I am."

"And… a-am I a…?"

"Yeah, you're a werewolf too."

Hailey looked at her hands. "A werewolf…? That means… that wolf that attacked me. It was really a…!"

She jumped again when she heard rustling in the forest. Three other werewolves stepped out, two grey ones, a boy and a girl, and a short tan one. They all looked at Hailey with a different expression.

"Well, well, what have we got here?" the male grey wolf crooned. "Fresh meat?"

That last comment made Hailey's fur bristle.

Tord tried to comfort her. "Don't worry. These are just my friends."

The female looked unamused and almost angry. "What'd you bring this time, Tord? Another scrawny one?"

The tan wolf turned his gaze to the female. "Hey, I resent that!"

"Hey," Tord growled at them. "This is her first night, so cut her some slack." He turned back to Hailey. "This is Cory, Danny and Elaina." He gestured to the tan wolf, then the grey boy, then the grey girl.

Hailey lifted her paw up in a weak wave. "H-Hi?"

Cory smiled and cheerfully replied, "Hi!"

The other two just growled, making Hailey turn away in fear. Tord growled back at them.

"So…" Danny said, showing off his bad boy attitude. "Now that you drank the water, I guess that makes you one of us. Lucky you." His voice was full of sarcasm.

"The water?" Hailey questioned, peering into the river again. "What are you talking a-" She stopped when she saw something she did not see before. Though her eyes retained their yellow shine, her midnight blue irises had been restored."What the heck…? What happened?"

Cory explained, "That water has supernatural properties. We don't know what caused it, but when you drank it, it restored your natural human personality while also balancing it with the wolf's instinct, which is why we can control ourselves in the presence of humans. It also gave you an extra ability, like the rest of us."

Hailey looked back at them. "The… rest of you?"

Tord and Cory nodded. "I have enhanced strength," Tord said, "Cory has mental capability, Danny has speed, and Elaina has resilience."

Cory continued, "Along with changing our nature, this river also attracts dark creatures. Like us, this usually only occurs during the full moon. It has been our duty to divert these creatures away from the town."

Hailey raised an eyebrow. "And you're saying that now that I drank the water, I'm supposed to take that responsibility too?"

Elaina rolled her eyes. "Pretty much."

"_WHAT?_" She was freaking out again. "No! No, you can't just expect me to become some nighttime hero freak-girl!"

"Of course not," Elaina groaned. "You couldn't defend yourself, let alone introduce yourself."

Hailey's ears perked when she realized she had yet to introduce herself.

"What are you waiting for?" Danny whined. "Tell us your name!"

Their attitude wasn't helping her self-confidence. Rem landed on her shoulder, making her yelp and jump. The raven fluttered off Hailey's shoulder before perching on her leg.

"Well, aren't you a jumpy thing?" Danny muttered.

"That's enough!" Tord growled. "It's her first night! She's clueless!"

Indeed, Hailey had no idea what to do, or even if she should trust these werewolves. _Don't worry,_ Rem said directly to her mind. _Introduce yourself._

Hailey nodded before looking up again. "M-My name's Hailey."

Cory stepped closer. "Hey, don't freak out. We won't hurt you."

"I wouldn't say that," Elaina growled, turning her back to Hailey.

Now Hailey was annoyed. She balled her fists. "Look, I don't know _what_ your problem is, but I've had a long night! Back off!"

"Hailey…" Tord grabbed her hands. "It's alright. I'll explain everything."

Her ears drooped and she looked away shamefully. "Okay."

Tord turned back to the others. "You guys go. I'll deal with this myself."

Elaina left without another word. Danny smiled deviously. "Catch you later, fresh meat."

"Didn't Tord tell you to knock it off?" Cory growled as they left. He looked back at Hailey. "Everything will be okay." Then they were alone.

"Okay…" Tord began. "Can you start by telling me how this might've happened?"

Hailey rubbed her head. "Well… about a month ago I was attacked by a wolf that bit me on the hand. It hurt ever since that night."

"A month ago, huh? Maybe it was on the night of the last full moon before the waning began."

She nodded. "That would explain why I haven't transformed until now."

"Alright, so that means when that wolf bit you, you fell victim to the werewolf's curse. You'll transform every full moon unless we find the wolf that bit you, but since it was a month ago, I highly doubt that'll happen."

That fact made Hailey sink low with despair.

"Now that you have been empowered by the Dark River, your instinct will not fully take control to the point where you are vicious to humans, but you can still feel that wild rush. I won't ask you to jump into this until you're ready, but I _do_ ask that you join our team. We need all the help we can get when it comes to fighting back demons and evil spirits.

"Each of us is given a raven that can communicate with its hunt brother or sister. Looks like you have already met yours."

Hailey stared at the raven still sitting on her leg. "She… was talking to me, like, telepathically."

"That is what they do, and you can only hear your own raven. What is her name?"

She paused for a moment, trying to remember. _Rem,_ the raven reminded her.

"Oh, right… It's Rem."

"Rem," Tord echoed. Then he looked up into the tree. "That's mine up there, Alpha."

Hailey turned to see another raven with a scar on its beak. Rem flew up and landed next to Alpha.

"The ravens follow us and watch us constantly, acting as guides and protectors."

Hailey had to admit that was pretty cool, but there was something else she needed to know. She turned back to Tord. "What about Quinn? I bit her. Does that mean…?"

"Yes." Tord nodded sadly. "She's a werewolf too."

Hailey backed away, feeling as if she was about to cry. She had infected her best friend with the werewolf's curse. How would Quinn forgive her? How would she forgive herself?

She looked down at her paws. "No…"

"I'm sorry, Hailey." Tord grabbed her shoulder. "The curse took over. You had no control."

"I can't let Quinn suffer through this. She doesn't deserve it!"

"You didn't deserve it either. None of us did. Well… maybe Danny and Elaina did…"

Hailey was too upset to laugh.

"I can go with you and explain everything to your friend and brother."

"I can't confront them… not like this."

"We can go in the morning. You should get some rest." He started walking away. "Don't stress yourself too much, Hailey. It'll all make sense soon enough." Tord disappeared into the bushes.

Hailey stared at the spot where she last saw Tord. She was thankful that he found her, or else Quinn could be dead while she continued to panic and let the curse take control. She looked back into the Dark River, staring at the blonde-haired wolf. She still couldn't believe that was her. Tears fell into the water, creating sparking ripples of light.

"Please…" Hailey cried softly. "I never wanted any of this."

Rem flew down, landing on her shoulder. _You are going to do great things, my child._

"I… I am…?"

Rem nodded. _You will be an extraordinary wolf._

"Extraordinary, huh?" Now Hailey was glaring at the reflection. She reached up and chopped the water, forcing Rem to fly off of her. "I'm not extraordinary! I'm a monster!"

_You are not. You have great potential, Hailey. Trust your instincts. You will go very far._

She refused to accept that. There was no possible way any good from this. She curled up on the ground and growled, "Leave me alone."

Rem obeyed and flew back into the tree.

Hailey's mind wandered again. How could any of this be possible? How would Hailey go on if this was her fate? She couldn't face the horrid reality that she had become a beast and turned her best friend into one, but she couldn't deny it either. This was who she was now, a horrible, deadly, monstrous werewolf.

With the full moon shining down on her, Hailey cried herself to sleep.


	3. The Coming Disaster

**Chapter 3: The Coming Disaster**

Hailey woke up when she felt pain surging through her body. This was not as bad as last night, but bad enough to make her moan. She opened her eyes, momentarily blinded by the sunrise, but she could see her body snapping back into place, her claws retracting, and her fur being pulled back into her pores.

When it was over, she sat herself up. Her head was hurting again from sleeping on the ground. She took a moment to look at herself; her legs were strait, her tail was gone, and when she looked at herself in the river, her eyes were back to normal. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good, you're up."

Hailey turned and yelped when a teen boy approached her. It took her a while to recognize his hoodie and golden eyes. "Oh… Tord. Sorry."

"No biggie," Tord replied, offering his hand and helping Hailey stand up. "Sleep alright?"

"Aside from the headache, fine, I guess."

His face grew serious. "Are you ready?"

Fighting back against tears when the memories came back to her, Hailey nodded.

* * *

The walk to Hailey's house was silent. She kept her gaze on the sidewalk as she led Tord to her home. Stopping and staring at her front door, Hailey quickly became afraid of what she might find inside.

Tord placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll be right behind you."

Hailey sighed and nodded before pushing the door open. She froze.

Sitting in the living room were Quinn and Luke. Quinn was wrapped in a bath towel with bandages covering her left shoulder. They both looked up at Hailey and Tord, depression on their faces.

"Quinn…"

Hailey slowly stepped inside, her legs shaking beneath her. She felt mild relief when Quinn turned and held a hand out to her, but she instead fell into her arms, burying her face in the towel.

"I-I'm sorry," Hailey cried. "I just… I never meant to hurt you."

Quinn embraced Hailey, slowly rocking her. "I know, Hailey. You had no control. The curse took over." She gently grabbed Hailey's wet face. "I know you would never hurt me on purpose."

Luke placed a hand on Hailey's head. "You gave us quite a scare last night."

Hailey sniffled and turned away.

"Um…" Luke's gaze trailed up to Tord. "Who's your friend, Hailey?"

"Oh!" Hailey quickly stood up and motioned for Tord to come in. "Guys, this is Tord. He's the one who knocked me out last night. Tord, this is my brother, Luke, and my friend, Quinn."

Tord nodded and stepped inside. "I apologize if I scared you at all last night."

"Oh, no," Quinn assured. "I'm honestly glad you showed up."

"Me too," Hailey mumbled too low for anyone to hear clearly.

Tord sat down. "Allow me to briefly explain the situation."

When he said nothing, waiting for a response, Quinn and Luke nodded. Hailey turned away.

He began, "Hailey tells me she was bitten by a wolf less than a month ago. This was likely the cause of the infection, but because the moon was waning at that time, she hasn't transformed until now. She likely panicked when she was startled by her transformation, easily losing control of herself. I was nearby when she attacked you two, and I was able to fully control my actions because I have taken the affects of the Dark River. We're not sure why or what causes it, but the river that runs through the woods up north has supernatural properties that change our very natures. Hailey drank the water when she woke up, so she has taken the affects as well.

"Quinn, she bit you, right?" After he received a nod, he continued, "That means you have fallen victim to the curse too. There's another full moon out tonight, and when and if you two are exposed, you'll both transform."

Hailey dropped her head into her hands, tears running down her face. Quinn hugged her. "Hailey… I'm not mad at you. You never meant for this to happen."

"But it _did_ happen," Hailey replied, cracks in her voice.

Tord shook his head. "You don't have to beat yourself up, Hailey. Danny and Elaina went through the same thing as you."

She stared at him with unbelieving eyes. "Th-They did?"

He nodded. "I guess I didn't mention this, but those two are siblings."

"Who are siblings?" Luke asked.

"Friends of mine; I'll get to that later. Danny was infected first, then he freaked out and bit Elaina."

"Danny freaked out?" Hailey questioned with a smirk. After what she saw last night, Danny didn't seem like one to panic. Her enthusiasm quickly faded.

"But anyway… I have formed an elite team of werewolves with the power of the Dark River to fight evil creatures that the river attracts. We act as the fire that diverts their cold nature. I've asked Hailey to join when she's ready, and I'm hoping you'll join us too, Quinn."

Quinn gave him a look of uncertainty.

Tord held a hand up. "I know, this is a lot to take in at once. You two have become something very special."

"Can you stop telling me that?" Hailey mumbled. "I'm not special. I've become a monster."

Quinn once again embraced her friend. "Hailey, please. None of us think you're a monster. Besides, whatever you are, I am too now. We'll be alright."

Tord inhaled sharply through his clenched teeth. "I wouldn't say that."

"Hey!" Luke suddenly shouted, glaring at the open window where two ravens were perched. He stood up, walked to the window and shooed them away. "Go on, get!"

"Wait!" Hailey ran up next to him and looked out the window, where the ravens had flown up into a tree. Making eye contact with the one on the right, she held her hand up vertically and the raven swooped down, perching on her hand. Then she looked back at the others. "The wolves of the Dark River each get a raven to watch over them. This is Rem."

Luke tilted his head. "You… get a raven."

Hailey nodded.

"Do I get one?" Quinn brought up.

"If you join us," Tord answered, "you most certainly will."

"Oh, that is too cool!"

Hailey was shocked. Quinn was taking this a lot easier than she did. After letting Rem go, she walked back up to Tord. "Um… When Quinn said we'll be alright, what did you mean when you denied that?"

Tord sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "The thing is… tonight will be very dangerous. On Halloween, the boundary between the physical and spiritual realm is at its thinnest, and because the Dark River attracts evil creatures, we're bound to come across a massive swarm of them. Normally the situation is not as bad as I make it sound, but the ancient ritual that takes place to divert the spirits back will not be happening tonight, so I'm afraid there is much to fear."

"A ritual?" Luke sat back down. "Why aren't you doing it this year if it's _that_ serious?"

"We are not the ones that control the ritual."

Quinn lowered her head, keeping her eyes on Tord. "So you're saying you want us to avoid whatever chaos you guys are gonna face."

"Only if you feel you're not ready." He placed a hand on Hailey's shoulder. "I wouldn't want you to feel burdened."

Hailey simply nodded, looking down at her hand. The bite marks and the pain had vanished. All that was left was emptiness.

Tord stood up and headed towards the door. "I best be on my way. You guys should be prepared for whatever may happen tonight. It won't be easy, but we'll survive."

"Tord…?" Hailey looked up at him. "Thanks for helping us out."

"You're welcome," he replied with a smile. "I'll see you again soon." Then he left.

All three sighed simultaneously. Hailey turned back to the others. "Quinn… I'm sorry I got you mixed up in all this."

She slapped her friend on the arm. "Okay, enough of this making-up crap. I'm not mad at you! How bad can being a werewolf be?"

"But you heard what he said! There's going to be one big war on our hands if we go out there tonight!"

"So we won't." Quinn shrugged. "We can just hang out in your room while Tord and his friends take care of business."

Hailey frowned. "Okay, now you're making me feel guilty… like I'm shirking my responsibilities or something."

"Well…" Luke said. "He _did_ say he wanted you to join the team."

"…When I'm ready. Luke, I don't know if I'll _ever_ be ready! I didn't want this!"

"Neither did I," Quinn interjected. "But to be honest with you, I think all of this sounds totally awesome!"

"Y-You're serious?" Hailey mumbled. "You really want to be a werewolf?"

"It's a little late to decide whether I want it or not, but now that we are werewolves, we might as well make the most of it."

Taken aback slightly, Hailey looked out the window. Rem was still sitting up in the tree, gazing down at her. She took a moment to reflect… Hailey really did have a responsibility now. She was a wolf of the Dark River now, which might not be so bad. At least she could control her killing instinct.

…Maybe it was that instinct that made her believe she was a monster.

But if she used it for _good…_

"You're right," she finally said. "We're in this together now, Quinn, serving under one purpose… as soon as you join the team, anyway."

"That's what I like to hear," Quinn laughed.

"But I still don't feel comfortable jumping in immediately, especially with what Tord said will happen tonight."

"Right," Quinn nodded. "We can skip this fight."

"You girls should probably lay low," Luke said. "If Quinn can't control herself before she drinks from that river…"

"Don't worry about me, Lukey…" Quinn interrupted. "We're going to be just fine."

Even with her confidence returning, Hailey still couldn't fully agree with that.


	4. Diving into Battle

**Chapter 4: Diving into Battle**

The night had finally come, and the full moon's light shone down upon the neighborhood as kids began trick-or-treating, oblivious of the danger.

The blinds were closed and the lights were on in Hailey's room. The girls sat on the bed, each with a book. All Hailey was thinking of, though, was the danger that she and Quinn might face and the battle Tord and his team could be in. Something was driving her to go out there and find them, help them, protect them… but her better judgment kept her inside and out of the moon's effects.

A train of thought centered on Tord began. He was so nice to Hailey, protecting her and her friend, clearing a path to this new life she was facing, and allowing her to skip this dreaded battle. It was clear that he would make a great leader when Hailey and Quinn joined the team.

That plus Quinn's positive attitude finally persuaded Hailey to pull through with this. There was no denying what she was now, and as long as Tord, Cory, and yes, even Danny and Elaina needed them, Hailey would fight alongside the wolves of the Dark River.

…And something told her that's what she should be doing now.

Why had Hailey developed deep feelings for the wolves when she hardly even knew them? She felt a strange, tight bond with them, closer than even a family bond. She longed to be with them, to help them and their cause.

But _why?_

She slumped over and looked at her friend. "Uh… Quinn?"

Quinn held up a hand and smiled. "Hailey, I thought we agreed no more of this making-up crap."

Hailey chuckled and shook her head. "No, it's none of that."

"Good. I was afraid I'd have to assert my she-wolf instinct by beating the crap outta you."

That got both girls laughing. When she calmed down, Hailey said, "I've just been thinking about what Tord said. If this is as bad as he assumes it will be, he'll need all the help he can get. I feel obligated to go help them."

Quinn smiled. "Well, why not?"

"Ugh… Your enthusiasm isn't helping. What if we're not ready? What if our lack of experience gets us killed?"

"Don't say that. If you think we should help them then… Wow." She was hit with realization. "Earlier today you wanted to stay out of this and now…"

"I know, Quinn, but you're right. I'm a wolf of the Dark River now; I can't deny that. If that's the case, then I need to help my teammates. I don't know why, but I feel… a bond with them."

Quinn nodded. "That's what it's like to be in a pack."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I feel it too, girl."

Hailey stood up. "It's not just that. I feel a sole responsibility to protect them… and a deep longing to be near him- _them!_ I-I meant 'them!'"

Quinn smirked. "I know what you meant." She stood up. "But what will he say when he sees us out there?"

"I think… he'll be happy to see us." She walked up to the window. "You're not going to protest, obviously. I have my doubts right now, but I know this is our call. It's time to give in to our instinct."

"Let 'er rip, Hailey."

In one swift move, she pulled the blinds away…

…revealing the mesmerizing full moon.

As soon as her eyes were transfixed on the moon, Hailey's first thought was, _What in the world am I doing?_ But deep down, she knew she had to do this. Was it just her newfound werewolf instinct telling her that, or did she really, truly want to help Tord?

Whatever the cause, it was too late now. The heat was already flowing through both of them, and the painful transformation Hailey had endured last night began again. Their bodies shifted into lupine forms, fur covered their bodies, teeth, claws and tails grew out…

But it seemed different this time. The sense of fear Hailey felt last time was gone. There was nothing to drown out the incredible surge of power coursing through her very being. Now that she could comprehend this new form, she could embrace it, welcome the strength that she could now control.

And when she did, she felt remarkable.

Standing there with her fists clenched and her tail swaying, Hailey took a moment to calm down and let her instinct subdue so she could help Quinn. She turned around, finding her newly-transformed friend lying on the floor and growling in agony.

Hailey bent over her friend, gently grabbing her shoulders. "Quinn… Don't make the mistake I made. Don't fight your instinct, or else you will lose control of it. Just calm down…"

When her breathing slowed, Quinn looked up, locking her soulless yellow eyes with Hailey's glowing blue irises.

"Y-Your eyes…" Quinn managed to utter. "They're different than they were last night."

Hailey smiled. "It's because of the river." She helped Quinn onto her feet. "We should get you down there too. It'll help you control your wolf energy."

Quinn just nodded. "Do I look alright?"

"You look great." Aside from her frightening eyes, Quinn really did look fine as a werewolf. That was enough to boost Hailey's own self-esteem.

* * *

Luke stared out the window, having frozen from the chaos he heard upstairs. He knew Hailey and Quinn had transformed, but he now faced a dilemma: should he run before the uncontrolled wolf out of the two attacked him or let himself be thrown into the danger Hailey's new friend had described? The night had come as a shock to him, and he had no idea where to turn.

…Until he heard footsteps coming down the stairs, because then he turned around. The girls were descending the staircase on all fours, determination, rather than blind fury, on their faces. They looked up at him, both of them with glowing yellow eyes, but Hailey's also carrying her midnight blue irises.

Just looking at them, he understood. Hailey's humanity remained intact because of the Dark River, but Quinn must've maintained a level head on her own, as she knew what was coming and had her friend there for support.

The she-wolves dashed over to the back door, and as Hailey stood up and grabbed the doorknob, she nodded solemnly at Luke, who offered a raised eyebrow in return. "What are you doing?"

Hailey stared at the door, then back at her brother. Obviously, she couldn't tell him why, but he saw it on her face. She wanted to help Tord. Luke sighed and nodded. "If they need it, you should go." With that, Hailey opened the door and she a Quinn quickly ran out.

Luke watched them go, thinking to himself. _What the heck? Did I just give my little werewolf sister permission to enter a battle? I thought she wanted to stay out of this! _He sighed. _Well… they_ are_ werewolves now. If they feel led to do this, they should._

_But… what should_ I _do?_

* * *

Hailey found herself running on all four legs, faster than she ever thought possible, with her best friend speeding right beside her. Even though Quinn had yet to drink from the Dark River, the control she had over herself amazed Hailey. How was she doing it?

_Of course!_ Quinn kept a level head during the transformation, so she was able to keep a firm grip on her sanity. Not only that, but she was having _fun!_ Did she actually enjoy being a werewolf?

Come to think of it, Hailey felt the exhilaration to, and it was extremely exciting. Seeing this, she came to realize that it didn't matter what happened last night, it didn't matter that they were victims of lycanthropy, and it didn't matter what the future held for Hailey and Quinn. All that mattered was right here and now, they had a job to, and they were going to enjoy every minute of it.

They came to a stop at the outskirts of the forest, right on the hill where Hailey attacked Quinn. Their eyes locked onto the bright full moon above them. It gave them power and confidence beyond their imagination. They couldn't resist, nor did they want to, throwing their heads up and howling a resounding call to the warm glow.

Their wolf cries were cut short when a repulsive scent reached their noses. "Oh, God," Quinn muttered, covering her nose with her paws. "What _is_ that?"

Even though the scent was unfamiliar, Hailey quickly figured it out. "It must be one of the creatures attracted to the river. We'll have to fight our way through."

"Right." They sprinted back down and into the woods. Just as Hailey feared, the scent was much stronger now, and other scents were mingling with it. It was enough to make their nostrils burn.

Hailey stopped when she was about thirty feet from the river. Quinn came to an abrupt stop beside her. They sniffed the air. "Man, there's a lot of 'em," Quinn said, "but where are they?"

"I don't know." Hailey pointed ahead. "There's the river."

"That's it?"

"Yep."

"Whoa…" Quinn slowly walked towards it, as if its beauty was pulling her in.

Hailey watched carefully, keeping a close eye out for any kind of evil spirit. At the same time, she felt a rush of joy. Quinn was just about to become a wolf of the Dark River. Having her best friend there to help her through every step in her new life and the very thought of using this dark form to protect her town filled Hailey with ecstasy.

_Run!_

Her ears perked at the sound, even though it came to her more as a thought than a direct order. She looked up into a tree, were Rem gazed down at Hailey with great concern.

_Hailey, run!_

She then looked at the river. It lit up with a strange black glow, causing Quinn to freeze in place.

_Run!_

"Quinn!"

_**RUN!**_

"**RUN!**"

In a blinding flash, a swarm of misshaped, gigantic, screeching creatures burst from the river, glaring down upon Hailey and Quinn before they divided and attacked them.

Out of human instinct, Hailey screamed, but as they came down, she crouched and sprang backwards, barely dodging them. She looked back to see Quinn furiously swatting the demons away, scratching and biting them as they fought. Her werewolf instinct had yet to be fully controlled.

_Don't panic,_ Hailey told herself. _You can do this._ She stood up and instantly leapt at one of her attackers, sinking her claws and teeth into its grotesque body. As it thrashed around, blood dripped onto her tongue, and surprisingly, the taste was… amazingly delicious. The others around them tried to attack Hailey, but she kicked them away. She dug deeper, releasing her claws and reinserting them into the monster's jugular. It quickly gave up and collapsed, and only then did Hailey let go. Though she was still traumatized by the fight, she felt a deep sense of pride.

Rem landed on her shoulder. _Now do you see the great power you possess?_

"I… I do."

_You have used you abilities for good, as you were destined to. Do not stop now, child._

She couldn't refuse that offer. As Rem fluttered off, Hailey jumped at another creature, repeating her strategy over and over for each demon that attacked her. Though it only stunned them, it was enough to get them off her tail.

Quinn, however, was not doing so hot. Her vicious instincts had taken over as she mindlessly swung here and there whenever she was attacked. There was only one human thought left in her mind: get to the river and drink. When she managed to clear an opening through the blockade, she dove towards the riverbank and quickly leaned towards the shimmering water.

Before she could touch it, a jackal-like creature pounced on her, turning her over so they were face-to-face. Its rancid breath hit Quinn's face like a storm. It opened its mouth, saliva dripping onto her fur, and leaned in to take a bite.

"_GET AWAY FROM HER!_"

From out of nowhere, in a similar manner as last night, Hailey jumped onto the demon, knocking it off and tackling it to the ground. She then reached down, bit its neck, and tore its head right off, following suit with its other limbs until its body disintegrated all together.

She turned back to Quinn. "I'll get the rest of them! You do what you need to!"

Quinn nodded as Hailey ran back into the battle, ripping the creatures apart until nothing remained.

She looked back into the river, staring at her reflection, then leaned in and lapped the water. As she did, an energetic tingle came over every nerve and muscle in her body, filling her head with strength and warmth. When it passed, she took a moment to acknowledge the mental stability she had regained. She still felt the instinct she had before, but felt much more tame and self-aware. Looking at her reflection, she saw that her big brown irises were back.

"Hailey, I did it!" she shouted as she turned back, only to realize that all of the evil spirits were gone, leaving only Hailey, who was neither tired or in pain.

"Dang, girl," Quinn said, highly impressed. "You didn't leave any for me! I've never seen you so fierce."

Hailey walked up and offered a paw. "Just instinct, Quinn." When her friend was back on her feet, they did a professional handshake. "Welcome to the pack."

Quinn gave her a fake scoff. "What are you, the alpha?" When she said that, a raven swooped down and landed on her head. "Oh, cool! So I get a raven now?"

Hailey nodded as Rem came down and perched on her arm. She remained silent, allowing Quinn's raven to communicate with her.

"So I'm the only one that can hear you?"

The others nodded.

Quinn smiled. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Kimiko."

So now Quinn and Kimiko were a pair. Hailey smiled at them and then at Rem.

_There is no time to waste,_ Rem told her. _Tord and the others need you._

"Oh, right!" Hailey exclaimed, almost forgetting what they were doing in the first place. "We gotta find the others!"

Quinn sniffed around. "They're down south."

"Really? I don't smell anything."

"Well, I smell demons, but there's definitely a wolf scent in there."

Hailey was confused. She wasn't picking anything up. Then something dawned on her. "The river. It gives us extra abilities. Do you think it heightened your senses?"

"Come to think of it, my vision _is_ sharper… and I'm hearing a lot in different places."

"That's so awesome!"

"Yeah, but what's your extra ability?"

"I… I don't know." Hailey shook her head. "But we'll worry about that later. Lead the way, Quinn."

With that, the girls took off again, the scents Quinn picked up finally coming to Hailey. She took a moment to reminisce; in this short time, she had used her werewolf abilities to single-handedly take down a swarm of evil spirits. She had done an amazing deed, but she wasn't done yet. Her new friends needed her, and as long as she was a wolf of the Dark River, she had to answer that call.

_I was wrong…_ she thought. _This isn't a curse. Even if I didn't want it, I can still use this form for good._


	5. The River is Rising

**Chapter 5: The River is Rising**

They girls finally emerged from the forest, running at top speed, yet free of exhaustion or doubt and ready to face the oncoming challenge. Hailey could feel her heartbeat speeding at an unimaginable rate, making her shiver with anticipation. Quinn obviously felt the same way, eager to kick some butt after she missed her chance last time.

Hailey was still in minor disbelief. She was a lot stronger and tougher than she ever knew herself to be, having just taken down a large swarm of evil spirits. If she could do that, what else was she capable of? And if she had to destroy that many by herself, how many would there be when they found the rest of the team?

Rem and Kimiko soared overhead before swooping down a ravine. The girls stopped and looked down. Below them, hundreds upon thousands of demons and spirits swarmed around the Dark River. Some were fighting each other. Others were fighting Tord, Cory, Danny and/or Elaina.

"Oh my God…" Hailey whimpered. "Oh my God. Quinn, I-I don't know if I can do this…!"

Quinn placed a paw on her shoulder. "Come on, you're not backing down now, are you?"

"Like I have a choice now…"

"You can do this. You took down, like, twenty of them _by yourself._ Now you're not alone. Think of what that… Rudyard Kipling guy said."

She took a moment to sort through her memory before the quote came to her. "For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack."

"And this…" Quinn gestured towards the four werewolves engaged in battle. "This is our pack now. We have a duty to fulfill."

Once again encouraged by Quinn's enthusiasm, Hailey nodded and started gracefully jumping down the ravine. She landed on all fours, Quinn landing right behind her. Then they charged forward with deafening roars.

* * *

At the moment, Tord was busy grappling with a fox-like demon. It was putting up a good fight, already leaving a few good scrapes on him that took longer to heal than normally. While he tried to get a good grip on its neck, he turned to Cory, who was finishing off a demon cat.

"Cory! How am I supposed to subdue this thing?"

"Just stun it in the jugular!"

"I'm trying to do that!"

When Cory had nothing more to tell him, Tord kept slashing and snapping at the creature's throat. It managed to overpower him and pin him down, proving itself to be stronger than he thought. Even his enhanced strength had little avail in the position he was in. Seeing the opportunity, the demon fox quickly bent down and bit Tord's shoulder, making him cry out in an agonized howl.

The beast was suddenly off of him. As the wound on his shoulder healed, he looked up to see none other than Hailey with her teeth lodged in the demon's throat. As it fell over, she tore it apart, allowing it to fall apart into a pile of blood and dust.

When she stopped, she looked over at Tord, who smiled gratefully. "You came back."

Hailey smiled, walked up to him, and pressed her nose against his. "This is my duty now."

"You've come to accept this?"

"Quinn helped me. If this is what I am, I shouldn't complain. Besides, I couldn't leave you guys."

The chaotic battle noises distracted them, and with no time to spare, they stood up and jumped back into the battle. Hailey attacked a serpent demon while Tord dug his claws into a phoenix.

Quinn was busying herself following similar procedures to destroy the spirits, and was doing an excellent job at it with her heightened senses telling her exactly where to attack. Cory, Danny and Elaina noticed her, but obviously didn't recognize her until Cory remembered that Hailey infected her friend last night.

Danny on the other hand, spoke up. "Okay, who's this other chick?"

"That 'other chick' is my best friend!" Hailey called to him, her mouth dripping with blood.

"Whoa…" Elaina was impressed. "Looks like Jumpy grew a backbone."

Quinn jerked up. "You! Girl! Whatever your name is! _Behind you!_"

Elaina quickly turned around to see another spirit, its colors blending in with the darkness, slash at her. Her resilience protected her enough so that she came out without a scratch. She jumped at it, quickly tearing it apart.

It was Danny's turn to be impressed. "How'd you see it coming?"

"The river heightened my senses."

Danny just nodded with an expressionless smirk before returning to the battle.

Despite their efforts and the countless spirits they destroyed, there were just too many, and more were coming. Quinn was in a tight situation as one of them grabbed and twisted her head, immobilizing her. She growled fiercely as she tried to reach behind her, but it was out of her reach.

_**TWANG**_

The beast roared in pain and let go of her. When she turned to face it, it was clutching the side of its face where an arrow had been shot into its eye. Quinn turned back around.

Up on the hilltop, Luke stood triumphantly with a bow, a canister of arrows, and a rifle.

Hailey's gaze quickly shot up to her brother. "Luke?" she shouted, even though it came out as a surprised howl to his human ears.

"I said I was gonna hunt on Halloween night…" Luke cocked his gun. "…and I _meant_ it!"

Tord looked up from the phoenix he was still fighting to Hailey, equally surprised. "Is that you brother?"

"Uh-huh…"

Luke came running down to the battlefield, rapidly firing his rifle with incredible accuracy. The spirits were taking a hard hit.

Danny laughed out loud. "Now we're talkin'! I like the way your bro thinks!"

"Um… Thanks?" Hailey wasn't sure how else to respond, so she quickly went on the offensive again.

With the wolves' strength and Luke's skills, they managed to deplete their enemies' numbers slightly. Even still, this was not enough. There was more coming from the Dark River every minute.

Hailey was tugging on one when it threw her off, making her roll a bit before she stopped to think. _This isn't working. Even with Luke's help, this isn't gonna work._

_Think, Hailey._ Rem landed by her head. _You know why they are coming in such great numbers._

"Well, yeah. There was no 'ritual' this year." _Wait… the ritual. Maybe they'll stop coming if we perform it! But what is it? Tord said they have no control over it._

She tried to piece together what would keep the spirits away from the river, using anything she had learned over this bizarre weekend.

…_the Dark River attracts evil creatures…_

_We are not the ones that control the ritual._

_We act as the fire that diverts their cold nature._

_They're not holding a bonfire downtown this year._

Hailey suddenly shot up. "…A bonfire…" She stood up. "The bonfire draws them away! _Quinn!_"

Quinn looked up from her prey. "What's up?"

"We need to start a fire to keep the spirits from coming!"

Once Quinn had taken a moment to figure it out, she nodded. "How're we gonna do that?"

"Get Luke ready to shoot on my signal!" She ran up to the phoenix Tord was fighting. "Tord, let me help you with that!" she shouted before jumping on and digging her claws into its rear end.

Her actions shocked the bird, making it fly strait up. Before she could fall off, Hailey grabbed onto its tail. Tord grabbed it by the neck and rode it like a horse. "_WHOOOOOOOOOO!_" He laughed wildly before he turned back to Hailey. "What the heck are you doing?"

"Starting a fire!" she called back.

"Hailey, you can't! It has to be ignited by a pure human!"

"And it _will_ be!" Hailey pointed down at her brother.

Seeing where she was going with this, Tord growled with pleasure.

Forcing herself up onto the lower half of the phoenix's body, Hailey tore off a handful of its feathers and threw them down, letting them scatter all across the riverbank. Then she howled her signal to the others.

Hearing this, Quinn ran up to Luke, turned him around and pointed at the feathers. Catching on, Luke asked, "We startin' a fire?"

Quinn nodded with a fierce grin.

"Oh, heck yeah." Luke aimed and fired over and over, hitting each feather dead-on and setting them ablaze. The flames landed along the edges of the river, burning the grass until fire completely lined the Dark River. The water sparkled with an intense black glow.

"Awesome!" Cory shouted. "Now all we have to do is take down all the spirits still here!"

With the boost in morale, the others quickly tore through the enemy lines. This time when a spirit was defeated, it was diverted back to the underworld and didn't come back. Danny and Elaina even managed to kick some back into the river with barely any effort, finishing the job quickly.

Luke and Quinn were back-to-back, Luke firing at every creature that came his way and Quinn slashing their final judgment. Working together, they were a force to be reckoned with. At one point Luke turned around and kissed Quinn on the cheek, making her freeze for a moment.

_He… kissed me,_ she thought. _He really kissed me! And while I'm a werewolf! He likes me!_

Kimiko was flying overhead. _He trusts you. He knows you are a strong wolf. Will you prove yourself to him?_

"Y-Yes… YES!" Howling at the top of her lungs, Quinn jumped up and laid waste to every demon or spirit she touched, sending them back at twice the speed.

Danny whistled. "That girl's got some wild skills."

"Meh…" Elaina just shrugged.

While the other five took care of the rest, Hailey and Tord were still riding the phoenix. "Man, what is with this crazy bird?" Hailey shouted.

"Instability! It has no idea what it's doing!" Tord responded. He bit down hard into its left wing, causing it to shriek and flail around, throwing Tord off in the process.

"TORD!"

Before he could hit the ground, Cory and Danny joined up and caught him. Cory was panting. "You alright?"

"Yeah, thanks." He quickly got back on his feet, looking up at the psychotic phoenix.

Hailey managed to work her way up its body as it swerved in an attempt to throw her off too. She held tight, thousands of thoughts flooding her mind. Her best friend, brother, and fellow pack mates were down there finishing off the rest of the spirits, and here she was, hanging onto a phoenix for dear life.

_As if being a teenager wasn't hard enough…_

No. She wouldn't go down like this. Her friends needed her.

That's when Hailey felt it… her love for her friends and family, this new kinship with the wolves, and her protective instincts merged together into an intense fury boiling inside her like nothing she had ever felt before. Blood rushed through her ears, her fur bristled, her eyes burned with a fiery glow.

It was time to prove to the world… and to herself… that she was not a monster.

Hailey sat up, grabbing the phoenix's head feathers as if she was steering it. It seemed to work, as it turned towards the river when she tugged to the left. To add to the force, she pressed hard on the back of its head with her foot, speeding it up and making it cry out. Keeping a firm hold on that pressure, Hailey then leaned back, spread her arms out, grabbed its wings and pulled back so it was in a strait position, soaring down like a missile.

While Danny and Elaina tossed the remaining spirits into the river, Tord, Quinn, Luke and Cory watched in amazement as Hailey guided the phoenix downward at almost a ninety-degree angle. When it was a mere twenty feet above the Dark River, Hailey pushed off its head, shooting up as if jumping off a springboard.

As she glided above the flames, a massive wave following her from the bird's wake, Hailey let time slow down so she could feel the rushing wind in her hair, fur and ears. She felt so free, so full of life; it was a wonder how she ever lived without this kind of excitement.

Suddenly, she was grabbed by the shoulders, turned around so her back faced the ground, and pulled in so a pair of lips met hers. When she opened her eyes in terror, she discovered that time really _had_ slowed down to the point where it stopped. Even more disturbing was that a pale, human-like creature with pointed ears and long bangs tied into a ponytail on the side of its face… was _kissing_ her!

Hailey pulled away with a gasp. "Wh-What the…? Who…? What are you…?"

"Excellent display tonight, Hailey," he crooned in a scratchy voice.

"Who _are_ you?"

"My name is Elliot… and we'll see each other again real soon."

As suddenly as he appeared, the strange boy was gone, and the next thing Hailey knew, she was back on the ground.

Forcing herself back up, Hailey tried to figure out what just happened. _Who and/or what was that kid? Why the heck did he kiss me? Did he understand me? How did he know my name?_

…_And what did he mean when he said… we'd see each other again?_

"Hailey!"

Quinn and Luke ran up to her, wrapping her in a tight embrace. A bit shocked by their actions, Hailey jumped slightly before she wrapped an arm around each of them.

"That was so awesome!" Quinn exalted. "I had no idea you had so much willpower! What held you back before?"

Hailey leaned her head on her friend's shoulder. "I couldn't see my potential until you guys helped me find it."

"That is _so_ sappy," Quinn replied sarcastically, laughing at her own remark.

Responding to her friend's wise crack with a giggle, Hailey then turned to Luke. "You were amazing, sis," he told her softly, scratching her head. "You're going to be a great fighter. So are you, Quinn." His volume picked up. "You totally blew my mind!"

The girls wanted to thank him and tell him how much this mission depended on his actions, but communication wasn't possible when they weren't the same species. Hailey simply gave him a hug while Quinn licked his cheek, giving him a dog-like kiss.

Cory, Danny and Elaina were putting the flames out, but they managed to exchange glances with Hailey. Cory was chipper as always, whispering his gratitude. Danny wore his usual smirk, but this time it had a certain warmness to it, like a silent "Good job." Elaina's face was emotionless.

Tord knelt down next to the three. First he smiled and nodded at Quinn, telling her, "You did a good job, Quinn. Your heightened senses will make a good ally. I hope your services to the team are well enjoyed."

"Oh, you know it!" As always, Quinn's contagious enthusiasm proved to be her greatest strength.

After a light chuckle, Tord lightly grabbed Luke by the arm, helping him back onto his feet. Luke was slightly confused as the black werewolf led him to the riverbank and gestured towards the water.

Then he realized, "You want me to drink it?"

Tord nodded.

"You want me on the team? But I'm all human."

Tord then placed a paw on his shoulder and gave him a smile that said that it didn't matter what he was. He even pointed to the dying fire for emphasis.

"Okay… I'll do it," Luke said, understanding that he really did have a place on this team. He knelt on the ground, scooped up a handful of the dark water, and drank. As soon as he did so, he felt the power rush through him, building up in his chest like a wild flame. Was this the energy that the wolves felt? It really did make him feel the untamed instinct that only a wolf could feel.

Even though he was human, Luke was now a wolf of the Dark River.

When he stood up, Hailey and Quinn walked up to him, exchanging silent congratulations. Hailey was proud of her friend and brother, of their accomplishments tonight as well as her own.

Tord then walked next to Hailey, wrapping her arm in his. "You mind taking a walk with me?"

Hailey shook her head. "Not at all. Guys?" She turned back to the other two for approval.

"Go have fun," Quinn told her. "It's Halloween. I'll hang with Luke." She leaned on him as he wrapped an arm around her.

As she and Tord left, Hailey watched her werewolf friend and human brother flirt. If they could get past the species dilemma, then maybe they really _could_ be boyfriend and girlfriend.

* * *

Hailey and Tord sat on a hillside, watching the town below as the children excitedly ran from door to door. The chaos they had to deal with had not been revealed to the townsfolk, and for everyone's sake, that was a good thing.

It was hard for Hailey to believe that in this short time, she had gone from a freak girl horrified by what she had become to a hero. And now that she had taken the time to consider it, being a werewolf had to be one of the best things to happen to her. It was exciting, exhilarating, and who knew what kind of adventure awaited her in the future?

Tord rubbed her ear with his paw. "So, you gonna be alright with this new life?"

She nodded. "I'll be just fine. Everyone needs a little excitement in life, and mine just happens to be affected by the full moon."

Tord laughed. "Yeah…" He paused for a moment. "You know… You seem to be a very protective person."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean when we were all struggling, you gave everything you had and more to help us. You care about us, don't you?"

"Of course I do, Tord. We're a pack."

He smiled. "Maybe that's what the river gave you, energy connected to your protective instincts."

Hailey's ears perked. "Maybe you're right."

Tord chuckled again as they leaned against each other. "I'm glad you're on the team. You're going to do great things."

That wasn't the first time Hailey heard that. Across the open field, she could see Rem and Alpha snuggling with each other, practically a reflection of the two of them. What if they were right? What if she really was destined for greatness?

It was then that Hailey remembered that strange creature that called himself Elliot. If what he said was true, he'd show up again sometime soon. What would happen to her then?

She decided to brush this off for now. Without any more information on the boy, she had no reason to worry about him now. When he came back, she'd figure it all out. After all, tonight was Halloween, and she and Tord had the rest of the night to enjoy themselves.

Wrapped in her new leader's arm, Hailey felt safe, warm… loved. Even if she had to endure the power of the Dark River and the burden placed on her shoulders for the rest of her life, she and Tord would pull through, for the pack was their strength, and they were the strength of the pack.

In perfect harmony, they lifted their heads and howled a sweet song to the gleaming full moon.

**The End**

A/N: Awesometude! :D Well, I finally complete the first in this series of short stories! Don't worry, I still have lots planned for this team! Special thanks to Nicksrandomworld for allowing me to use Tord in the series. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!


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